Army vs Navy football. (Photo by Daniel Kucin Jr./Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty … [+]
The storied series between Army and Navy continues Saturday, Dec. 10 for the 123rd meeting on the football field. One of the great rivalries in college sports, Army and Navy are enemies on the ball field, but brothers in arms on the battlefield. Army and Navy sports are known as ‘star competitions’, and no star competition is more well known than the Army-Navy football game.
The Army-Navy game is pageantry and patriotism, and a spectacle and showcase of college sports in its purest form. It’s a most meaningful game and event with the Army Corps of Cadets and Navy Brigade of Midshipmen marching on the field before taking their seats in the stands.
For fans that watch and/or wager, a majority of bettors for this year’s contest are betting on Navy with hopes of one mission and two words – beat Army. But as a Black Knight, the Army players will no doubt fight for the extra yards, stand strong with their backs against the wall and battle for their teammates, classmates and soldiers around the world.
Army Black Knights (5-6) vs. Navy Midshipmen (4-7)
Saturday, Dec. 10 – Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia, PA
Betting Line: Army -2.5, Game Total: 32.5
TV – CBS at 3:00pm ET
The CBS Sports team covering the 2022 Army-Navy game provides picks and insights into America’s Game.
The leading online sportsbooks including FanDuel show odds with Navy a -2.5 point favorite and a very low total that has dropped down to 32.5 points. The point spread opened Pick ‘em. More bettors in Maryland, where online sports betting started last month, are supporting the Navy Midshipmen out of Annapolis, MD.
Regardless of the winner and loser, enjoy the old-fashioned purity of competition that remains unchanged by time and unencumbered by whatever complications are impacting college football. That includes the large pool of transfer players, and money that is driving conference realignment and impacting rivalries. But fortunately, not the Army-Navy game.
Recent Army-Navy History and 2022 Uniforms
Army and Navy run the old-fashioned wishbone, the triple-option offense. The scheme is actually necessary as the size and caliber of athletes don’t often match-up with the most powerful FBS teams. The option attack with cross blocking and misdirection is unique and often gives the service academies a chance to close the talent gap.
Triple Option Offense Blocking Terms
From 2002-2015, Navy beat Army 14 straight times. Army won the next two meetings as underdog, 21-17 and 14-13. In 2018, Army held all the edges as the favorite for the first time since 2001. The Black Knights (-7) won 17-10 outrushing the Midshipmen 222-127 and Navy kicking a field goal in the final 30 seconds for the point spread push. Navy snapped the 3-game skid in 2019 with a 31-7 win. Army shutout Navy 15-0 in 2020 and last year Navy won 17-13.
The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy has already be won by Air Force, whose 9-wins this season include victories over Army and Navy.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of Operation Torch, and the commencement of operations against access forces in Europe.
On December 10, the Black Knights will wear uniforms in honor of the iron soldiers of the first armor division.
Navy will wear space-themed uniforms acknowledging the 54 United States Naval Academy graduates who have become astronauts.
With the biggest rivalry games completed along with the college football conference championship games, it’s time to enjoy America’s Game in the annual Army-Navy rivalry.
You can bet on it.